


Magnetism

by thewarblerette



Category: Michael Fassbender-Fandom, X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst, Comedy, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 04:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4125697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewarblerette/pseuds/thewarblerette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(DOFP Timeline) Lydia Johnson has been away from Charles for five years. Two years before the students got drafted, she needed to have a little space to herself; to sort her powers out and to mourn the loss of her love, Erik. Soon, she returns to find the mansion in shambles and a mysterious man telling her that he needs her to help them change the future for mutants everywhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We Need You

Lydia looked upon the old mansion with melancholy.

She remembered the Academy in it's heyday. The classrooms bustling, the hallways roaring with laughter, and the Professor overjoyed. Amazed that the work that he and Erik started could still continue.

Erik. Oh, Lydia felt a pang in her heart at the though of him. 

She shook her head. 

Lydia didn't want to think about that part of her past. 

She opened the iron gate, it creaking behind her as she walked up the extended driveway. Lydia didn't notice the Pontiac on the street.

Everything about the place seemed empty. The trees were drooping. The flowers were dead. Not a person in sight. 

It's like as soon the students left, the life in the house went with it. 

When Lydia came to the front door, she was confused to hear sounds coming from the house.

Grumbling and murmuring was all that Lydia could hear. She knocked on the large, ancient door and waited. 

The slight clamor that was on the other side of the door quieted down.

Lydia heard the sound of someone shushing another. 

The door opens a little with a curt response.

"What do you want?" 

Lydia smiled. "Aw, Hank. Why you gotta be like that when talking to an old friend?"

"Lydia? Is that you?" The door opened wide, a small smile on Hank's when he saw the curly haired beauty in front of him.

Lydia ran in his arms and laughed as he swung her in his arms.

Her lips embraced his cheek as she looked up at him.

"How are you? How's everything? How's Charles?" Her questions were met with a weary stare from Hank.

"Well, uh...," he looked back at the two men behind him. Lydia's smile went away as she saw the men. 

A gruff man with a intimidating gaze, and the other was a clearly disheveled Charles. Lydia's eyes tracked down to his legs. 

He was standing. 

Lydia rushed over towards him, hugging him. His arms hesitantly wrapped around her.

"Lydia! Dear god, where did you come from?"

She scoffed at him. "You're wondering about me? Charles, you're walking."

He coldly laughed. "Yes, love. I am. I'll tell you about this later. But, right now, we have more important things to take care of by what this man is telling us." Charles geastured to the mysterious man. 

Lydia stared at him. "I don't know you."

"Logan. My name's Logan," he said. The man's voice was just as deep as his appearance makes it out to be. 

"I'm Lydia." She stood her ground next to Charles. 

"I don't know you though." Logan simply stated. His eyes were searching her face. 

"You're not in my future." 

Lydia eyes turned into slits at that statement. "What do you mean future?"

Charles answered that question for her. "It's a long story. One that deals with the government taking Raven and using her power to destroy mutants."

A horrified look came on Lydia's face. "What?"

"I'll explain more on the way," Logan started. "However, you need to come with us. There's a chance you'll be able to be in the future if you help us."

"Her powers are amazing," Hank interjected. 

Lydia laughed. "Thanks, Hank. And I'll do it. I want to try out my powers."

Logan slightly smiled. "Great. We need you."


	2. The Fast One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia and the others meets the fast boy who will help them break out Erik, Pietro Maximoff.

Lydia couldn't believe what she was hearing from Logan.

He was in the front seat whiler she was in the back with Hank. Charles drove the car and, honestly, Lydia didn't even know why Logan gave him that power. 

But, all of timetraveller's talk still left her feeling a weird way.

A man named Trask using Raven's DNA to annihilate the entire mutant species?

Of course Raven would let something like that happen, Lydia thought. She was always the impulsive one, and with Erik's message filling her ears, she became a zealous warrior to help the mutants. But still. 

A bleak future with all of humanity dying? 

Lydia couldn't let any of that happen. She could feel the energy swirling through her as she got angry, her hands balling into fists. 

Watching the houses pass by Lydia felt Hank's hand on her shoulder, comforting her. She gave him a comforting smile and he returned hers. 

However, in the driver seat, Charles was having fun steering the car, sudden giggles erupting from him.

"Hey buddy, how about you try to be steady on the damn road. The car won't stop bouncing," Logan gruffly asked. 

"I bloody will not!" Charles couldn't stop smiling. He liked using his legs for things. "I haven't done this in years! Let me have fun."

Logan groaned, running his hand across his face. "It doesn't even matter. We're here. Pull over there."

As Charles parked the car, or at least tried to, Logan commented, "You are never doing that again."

Charles chuckled at him. "Alright fine."

They got of the car and knocked on the door.

"Are you sure he'll help us, Logan?" Charles wasn't sure about a teenager helping them perform a serious plan such as this one. 

Logan deeply sighed. "Yeah, he can don't worry. He may be a pain in the ass, but he'll be useful."

The kid's mother answered the door and led them down to the basement.

"Peter, some people are here to see you!" His mom announced to the group and left the group be. 

Lydia's eyes widened as she saw all the assorted things the kid stole. When she saw the kid with the Silver hair whizzing around, and never stopping, she knew Logan was right. 

"He's amazing!" Hank commented Peter's mutation. 

"He's a pain in the ass," Charles grumbled. 

"I didn't steal anything," the kid began to say, one minute at one side of the ping pong table, and one minute at the next. 

"I've been here all day." He said finally sitting down. 

"We're not cops," Charles stated. "You don't have to worry."

A smirk came on the kid's face. "Oh, I know you're not cops."

Hank raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"Because before you came into the house, I looked at your license plate. 

They're out of state, so that means you're not cops. Who are you? What are you doing here?" The teen looked at all of them, his eyes lingering a bit longer on Lydia. 

This Peter kid is pretty quick, Lydia thought. 

"We're people like you," Hank explained. "We have powers."

Peter played it off as being confused. "Powers? What are you talking about powers?"

Hank turned to Logan. "Show him please."

The burly man turn his hand into a fist and his claws came out. Peter's eyes widened, then a smirk came on his face.

"That's fascinating, but disgusting." He turned back to Pac-Man. 

"Maybe you should show him your mutation, Lydia." Hank smiled at her. "He'll like yours better. It's really impressive, if I do say so myself."

Hank loved bragging about her powers. Lydia's powers were just as unique as Raven's.

Peter's smirk widened into a grin, smiling up at Lydia as she took an Opalite stone out. 

"Is your power making men fall in love, babe? 'Cause I'm feeling it work on me." 

The brown skinned woman smirked towards him. "Don't even try, kid. Watch and learn." Lydia closed her eyes, her skin beginning to shimmer and glisten. A tendril of white energy started to form from the palm of her hand, and then a second later, another in her left hand. 

She closed her eyes and concentrated hard, the energies of everyone around her and the environment became more apparent. 

The tendrils traveled along her arms, circling her entire body. She levitated an inch or two off the ground. 

Once Lydia felt the an ample amount of energy coursing in her veins, she opened her eyes, now white as pearls, and outstretched her arms, creating a repulse knocking everyone off their feet. 

Peter was breathing heavily, beaming at the woman. 

"Oh, god. Marry me." Lydia laughed at the remark. 

"No."

The teenager scrambled back to his stool. "But, you gotta tell me, what was that?!"

"I can harness the natural energy that we all have called an aura. I can do anything with it, really! Like, I can make a weapon." Lydia concentrated and made a lavender bow and arrow. 

Peter looked at Lydia in awe. "Wow..."

"So, will you help us?" 

"Yes! Just tell me what!" He was already vibrating with excitement.

"We want you to break into the Pentagon and steal someone for us," Charles interjected. He was getting quite impatient. 

Peter got a mischievous grin on his face. "That's illegal, y'know."

Logan stepped up, "We knew this was right up your alley. You can't pass up a chance like this."

The silver haired teen turned back to Lydia. "Will, uh, Lydia be helping us?"

"Yes, actually," Hank started. "We were thinking that you could work together and get our "friend" back. 

"Okay, I'm all in guys!" Peter had ran his way out into the car. 

Logan at all of them and simply said, "Well, that was easy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pietro is such a fucking little flirt I swear.


	3. Hello Once Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia finally sees Erik for the first time in years.

The whole car ride to the Pentagon was an eyeroll fest for the four adults in the car.

Peter wouldn't stop talking and asking questions. 

"So if all of you guys have powers, what's Four Eyes and Dead Man's powers over there?" Peter gestured to Hank next to Lydia and Charles in the passenger seat. 

"I can, uh, tap into my....primitive instincts, so to speak." Hank grumbled. 

Lydia snickered as she giggled, "He's always blue about it though."

"Shut the hell up, Lydia," Hank growled.

Lydia laughed out loud as Hank cleared his throat. "And Charles's mutation is telepathy."

"Whoa, dude! You gotta show me that now." Peter was so excited he literally started vibrating. 

"I don't really think that's a good idea." The ex-telepath annoyingly grumbled.

"Awww, c'mooon. You gotta guess what I'm thinking."

"That's enough, kid!" Logan yelled. "The guy said no, so leave him alone, alright?"

Peter shut his trap up fast. For the rest of the ride to DC, he sat in the back in silence, something the kid rarely did given his power.

Lydia sat in smiling silence as she thanked Logan for intervening in what could have been a horrible situation.

___________

"Are you ready? Lydia? Peter?" Charles looked at his friend and the teenager.

"Mhm." Lydia responded, her fingers in her curly black hair. She cracked her back and her knuckles. It had been a while since she had been in a fight. 

"Yup," the silver haired boy quiped while jumping up and down. "Let's get to it already!"

Logan laughed at the kid's enthusiasm. Same energetic brat, he thought.

The group was just outside the Pentagon, ready to get Erik out.

Just the thought of her past love made Lydia's heart jump. All the moments they shared had been circling around in her head on the car ride over. It had been a while since they had seen each other, and she could only imagine the look in his eyes once he saw her. 

Lydia hoped Erik missed her just as much as she missed him.

As they got into the building, they all integrated with the tour group. She stayed close to Peter, making him incredibly flirtatious. 

"Whoa there, babe, I know we're working together, but we can continue getting to know each other after, alright?" He shot her a cheeky grin which the aura-wielder rolled her eyes.

She groaned, "Oh, puh-lease."

Soon, everybody went their separate ways and got into their positions. 

Lydia and Peter sped up to the elevator which led to Erik. When they entered, a guard was in there with them. Peter shot him an innocent grin and got out the duct tape.

The brown skinned beauty whistled while she waited until the boy got dressed. Once he was done, he turned around for her.

"How do I look? Handsome? Sexy?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her. 

"You're a security guard, Peter. They aren't sexy." She said, monotonously. 

"Now, stop the flirting. We have work to do." She looked in her bag for her stones. Lydia had her usual ones: Opalite, Amethyst, Rose Quartz, etc. She always felt stronger with them in her possession. 

She and Peter looked at the elevator numbers, both of them smiling when they heard the ding. 

"Ready?" Lydia asked.

"Oh yeah." Peter responded with the food tray in his hand. The door opened and as they stepped out, all the guards looked at them, wide-eyed.

Peter sped up to the middle of the rows. The men getting their guns. 

Lydia's footsteps echoing in the corridor as she shook her head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I really don't think you guys should do that." With lighting speed, she took out her Opalite crystal.

She held it tightly in her hand, closed her eyes, and concentrated. Soon, a wave of light escaped from her body, lifting her up from the ground slightly, letting a repulse hit all of the surrounding guards.

The guard in front of them looked at her with horror-filled eyes.

"If I were you, I'd let us through." Lydia told the guard, and without even a blink of an eye, he touched the button to activate the door to the next room.

Peter went on through the door first, Lydia, however, stayed behind and took a purple stone out of her bag. She held it in one hand, and put her other on the guard's head.

"Sleep," she said, and sleep he did, falling to the ground.

She joined Peter in the next room. Ahead, they could see the door which held Erik.

She turned to the guard. "I suggest that you let us through because, well, I mean," a small smirk appeared on her face, "you've seen what I can do. You do not want to mess with me."

The guard said nothing, glared at her and let them through. Lydia held up the Amethyst stone once again, and simply held it up to the guard.

He instantly knocked out. 

Peter and Lydia walked into the room with the clear glass overlooking Erik's white room. The teenager bent down to give the metal-wielder his food with a note. He went to the window and it started to vibrate.

Within a matter of seconds, the glass broke, Lydia giving a hand to help Erik out. His eyes widened when he realized who it was.

"M-my god! Lydia? Is it really you?" He asked, not believing it was her, even though he was holding her still.

"Hi, Erik. Long time no see?" She shrugged as she looked over his features. 

He was still the same Erik she remembered. Same gorgeous soft blue eyes, same chisled jawline, and that mischievious glint in his eye.

He ran fingers through her hair. "To think I'd never see your face ever aga-"

Erik was interuptted by Peter's snickering.

"Ewwwww, gross." He walked up to them. Peter got a hold of the metal bender's neck and the aura-wielder's waist. 

"What are you doing?" Erik asked him. "There will be 30 guards out there waiting to catch us."

"Yeah, I know. When we go fast, I don't want you to get whiplash." The silver haired teen explained. 

"What?"

"Whiplaaaash," Peter enunciated.

The door opened to reveal the guards, but of course, Peter was too fast for them. The teenager sped up to the elevator. Lydia was fine, but Erik, not so much.

He bent forward a bit, trying to get over the headache.

"Yeah, sorry about that. It happens to everyone their first time." Peter explained awkwardly, rubbing his neck. He changed back into his clothes as Lydia helped Erik get his bearings.

"So...," Peter started to say, "What did you do for them to put you in there, huh? C'moooon, what did you do? What did you do? What did you doooo?" 

The man looked at the boy and blatantly said, "For killing the president." 

Peter's eyes widened. "Wow...." he mouthed. He looked at the guard and Lydia.

Once Erik got his head together, he looked at Lydia. He wanted to memorize her face again. He could never forget her, but if this was his last time of seeing her, he just had to remember her beautiful and soft face forever.

"Does this mean you'll join me in our mission, darling? Please tell me its true." He looked at her with hopeful and expectant eyes. Erik wanted her to be by his side. She wouldn't get away from him, not this time.

He couldn't live with that void.

Lydia ran her hands through his hair and graced him with a watery and sad smile. "I'm sorry, Erik, but no. As much as I love you, Charles needs me. Even if it's just Hank and I, he needs people around him. He can't be alone."

Erik growled lowly at the mention of his old friend. He opened his mouth to say something, but Peter was too quick to chime in.

"Ya know, baby, if you don't want him, then I'm ripe for the picking." 

Erik groaned and Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Kid, you're way too young and innocent for me. Keep dreaming."

Peter just smiled and turned to Erik. "So, you can control metal, huh?...ya know, my mom knew a guy who could do that..." he drifted off, in thought.

As soon as he said that, Lydia looked at Erik.

She whispered, so Peter couldn't hear. "I think we need to talk..."

"Eh, if it's about that," Erik subtly geastured at Peter, who was hopping on the balls of his feet. "Then, I really don't even know where to begin."

Lydia chuckled, but her smile dwindled when that elevator ding hit their ears. 

Erik's eyes met Charles's as soon as the doors opened. 

"Charles?! How are you standing?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part was extremely fun to write and Pietro is such a little shit.


	4. A Pretty Awkward Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Charles have a not-so-great meeting after 11 years.

Erik couldn't process Charles not being in a wheelchair. He could never forgive himself for what he did all those years ago in Cuba. 

Charles's response was simply a hit in the face as he punched Erik, the sound of impact made the others wince while the ex-prisoner slumped to the ground. 

"Charles!" Lydia cried. "Why would you do that?"

Charles didn't respond to her. His mind was too focused on that bastard he used to call a friend. A brother, even. 

While Lydia helped Erik up, he wiped the blood from his mouth and said, "Well, hello old friend."

As Lydia, Erik and Peter walked out of the elevator, guards came, and this time with guns. 

Lydia quickly got into attack mode, her energy surging through her and her aura becoming visible to the naked eye. The orange color becoming so bright the guards started to wince. 

The guards shot at the mutants, Erik tried to move the bullets towards the guards, but Charles tried to block him since he didn't have his powers.

"Erik, no!" He cried. 

The sequence of events happened in an instant: Lydia tried to put up a force field up, the bullets tried to move. However, none of that mattered because Peter zoomed out of the way and knocked the guards out. 

To everyone else, it felt instantaneous, but to Peter, it felt like 2-3 minutes tops. Everything slowed down before him, the soft music playing so he can concentrate better, putting the guards into position so they hit themselves. He moved the bullets out of the others way so that they'd be safe from harm.

Everyone stared at Peter as he simply dusted himself off. They just didn't know what to say. 

Peter looked up at their dumbfounded faces. "What?" He asked. "Don't you want to leave now?"

Lydia and the others looked at each other. "Uh, yeah, sure," Logan said. Lydia was the first one to move, she stepped gingerly over the knocked out guards as the alarms and sprinklers went off around them.

Hank was the last to round out the group as he got behind Peter. 

"May I just say, your power is truly outstanding, Peter." Hank couldn't contain his scientific curiosity about it. 

Peter chuckled. "Heh, thanks man."

________________

Erik had a giddy smirk on his face as he held Lydia in his lap. The car was, then, packed to the brim of people. 

It was Logan driving, Charles in the passenger seat, Peter sitting behind the ex-telepath, Hank in the middle, and then Erik, who Lydia was on top of.

The woman couldn't hide her happiness, however, because she started to softly glow shades of pink and yellow. The warmth coming from her reminded Erik just how much he missed her and the cute little things that her mutation made her do.

All the while, Peter was silently glowering at the older male. The way his hands clasped together and were placed on Lydia's stomach. His head rested on the small of her back, the steady rhythm of her breathing put him in a steady of peace that he hadn't felt for a long time. 

Charles smiled to himself, looking at his mirror to the side of him. "Simmer down, Peter," He chuckled. 

Peter's eyes widened and just looked at the seat in front of him, a light blush on his face. 

Lydia and Charles shared a humorous look at each other. 

It was nice to relive the past for Charles. Even if he didn't have the best feelings for Erik at the moment, it was...nostalgic to say the least for Charles to see Erik and Lydia together again. Happy.

It made Charles think of a time where everyone was right where they were supposed to be.

_____________________

 

Once they got to the airport, everyone got out and started to board the plane. However, Peter wasn't part of the plan.

After everyone got on the plane, Charles turned back to the teenager and gave him the car keys.

"You better give the keys back, okay Peter? I'm trusting you to not to steal this car." Charles told Peter in a parental tone.

Peter only smirked at the long haired man. "I'll do it for Lydia, but not for you, old man."

Charles laughed. "Whatever makes it work for you, Peter."

As Peter drove off the tarmac and on the street, Charles got onto the plane to carry out the rest of their mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lydia can always make Erik feel better.


	5. The Plane Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Charles finally talk and it's not that great.

Lydia sat with Hank in the cockpit of the plane, his face concentrated on the controls. She didn't talk for about 30 minutes, not until the plane was in the clouds.

"Hank, how is he standing?" was all she started with, causing a sigh to escape from Hank's mouth.

"I was wondering why you didn't ask sooner." He glanced over to her with a small smile. "It was odd that you didn't speak on it."

"The doctors said he would never walk again. How is this real?" Lydia remembered how everyone, including Charles himself, was crying at the fact that he could never walk again. It was the only time she had truly been angry at Erik. 

"I made a serum that gave him the ability to use his legs, but it took away his powers." Lydia's eyes widened.

"You cannot be serious, Hank. How could he do that to himself? How could you be okay with that?"

Hank grumbled lowly. "You should have seen him. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat. The voices in his head were getting to him. He was always tossing and turning in his sleep. After you left, I gave it to him, only in a minimal amount. Once the kids left he wanted me to up the dosage. Ever since then, he's been using a drug as a way to cope with his feelings."

Lydia looked down at her clear quartz necklace and fiddled with it. "God, poor Charles."

"And I used it to turn myself back to normal," he added. 

Lydia chuckled. "Ah, yes. I was wondering why you weren't blue and hairy."

"I can still turn into that version of me, but only when duty calls." 

"I'll truly miss your hairiness." Lydia giggled. 

"God, shut the hell up, Lydia."

____________________

Erik and Lydia sat next to each other, their hands laced together. 

Logan sat to the side, sliding out his claws in a leisurely but bored manner, and Charles just sat in front of the couple, looking at nothing in particular in front of him. He just looked far away.

Erik looked at the far away man. "How did you lose them, Charles?"

Charles didn't look at him as he responded, "Lose what?"

Erik scoffed as he let go of Lydia's hand and sat in front of Charles. "Don't play dumb with me, Charles. Your powers. How did you lose them?"

"The treatment for my spine affects my abilities."

Erik was surprised. "You sacrificed your powers so you can walk?"

Charles looked at him tiredly. "I gave up my powers so I could sleep." He was so very very tired. "And besides how would you know?"

"I've lost my fair share." The metal wielder commented. He looked over Lydia looking out the window, thinking how he hadn't lost her wholeheartedly.

"Oh, dry your tears, Erik. It doesn't justify the things you've done." Charles was not about to have this conversation with Erik right now. 

"You have no idea what I've done." His tone was getting firmer.

Charles's eyes got watery. "I know you took the things that mean the most to me."

"Maybe you should've fought harder for them."

Charles got up, challenging him. "Do you want a fight, Erik? I'll give you a fight!"

Lydia's head whipped around and glared the two men.

"Settle down." Logan tried to appease the tension, but it already got too high. 

"No, let him come," Erik commanded. Before Charles could grip Erik's shirt, Lydia put up a thin force field.

"You took her away and you abandoned me!" 

Charles beat on the force field and growled at Lydia. "You better let this bloody barrier down, Lydia." 

Lydia's eyes were burning with fire. "No! You guys need to calm down! For the love of God!" However, Erik couldn't hear her because she continued, listing off names. 

"Angel. Azazel. Emma. Banshee." Erik's tone become more menacing with each name.

The plane started to descend, the metal clinking from his anger. 

"Where were you when we needed to protect them, Charles?! Where were you?!"

"Erik! Stop it now!" Lydia screamed. She used her aura to manifest a glove on her hand and punched Erik in the jaw. 

Erik was on the floor, holding his jaw in place while looking at Lydia. 

She was breathing heavily. "Calm the fuck down."

The plane reached normalcy as it got back its equilibrium.

"Don't you ever not listen to me. Do you understand, Erik."

Erik only nodded. 

Charles and Logan only stared at Lydia. 

"Thanks, Lydia!" Hank yelled from the cockpit.

"You're welcome!" She sat down back in her seat, never taking her eyes off the two men in front of her.   
Lydia always hated it when they fought. The way they made it seem, it was as if their problems were life-threatening, but really, they just couldn't see eye to eye on how to help mutants.

This hadn't been the first time she had to stop a fight between the two before.

Erik sat back down next to Charles, his hand on his reddening cheek. 

The group sat in silence as Hank continued to fly them to Paris.

________________

As twilight came upon the plane, the sky turned into a sea of glowing amber, Erik had sat down next to Lydia again. He had his arm around her, soothingly running his thumb against her back.

Logan was asleep, Hank was still manning the controls, and Charles was nodding off, with a chessboard on the table in front of him.

"Why did you have to leave me, Lydia?" Erik wasn't talking to her in particular, just thinking out loud. 

"I want peace, Erik. Not destruction." Lydia mumbled, her eyes heavy. "What you want for our people, in the end, will lead to destruction."

"But, darling, Charles's principles will get us nowhere. They'll leave us in a stagnant state that won't lead our people in the right direction." He kissed Lydia's cheek.   
"And you believe you can lead in humanity in the right direction?" Lydia mused.

"Of course I can, love. Who can resist me as a leader?" Erik whispered in her ear with smirk on the edge of his mouth. "You couldn't resist me as a lover."

Lydia laughed as she smacked him. "Erik! Stop that. Just because you're a good lover doesn't mean people would think you're a promising leader."

"Hmm, that's what you think." Erik chuckled as he ran his hand up Lydia's side. His hand stopped on a certain part and he gently felt it. 

"Lydia, what is this?" His finger felt a line of bumps across the side of her waist while his smile drifted away. 

"What do you mean?" Lydia played dumb. She didn't want to think about that incident ever. 

That was too traumatic and too dark for her to think about. It opened her eyes to the fact that mutants might be hunted for their powers. It made Logan's future more real than ever for her. 

"Lydia, turn around." Erik demanded. If anyone hurt Lydia, there would be much hell to pay.

"Erik, no. It's nothing, really."

His grip on Lydia was forceful, he overpowered her, and turned her around to lift her shirt. Erik saw a bullet wound that had just grazed Lydia's flesh. She trembled as she felt the touch of his large hands touch her soft skin again. Erik's hands ran down her sides, each revealing a flesh wound.

"Lydia, what is this?" 

Her mahogany eyes glistened with tears. She turned to Erik, whose face showed deep concern and death for any name she was about to say. 

"I-I've heard of Trask before." Her usually bold voice was small and trembling at that moment.

Erik started to see red. "Trask? Trask. That bastard did this to you?"

Lydia coldly laughed. "Indirectly, he did. He sent his goons after me."

"He's hunting mutants now?" Erik was close to shaking with anger. 

Lydia nodded. "I'd assume so. I was in Tibet with monks. My location was pretty secluded. I don't see how he found me any other way."

Erik put a reassuring hand on Lydia's shoulder. "Tell me what his men did to you."

Lydia deeply sighed. "Alright. I'll tell you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooh I'm excited for the next paaaart!


	6. That Night Long Ago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia tells Erik of her encounter with Trask.

The air was cool and the wind was gentle as Lydia slept. The september Tibatan air smelled of sweet foliage that could’ve tickled the senses awake, but Lydia continued to sleep. It had been six months since she had started to live with the monks. She had read that monks had mastered meditation to the point of feeling their natural energy coursing through their veins. Once she read that, she had to go. It was the perfect opportunity to leave the mansion and forget the troubles that happened two years ago.

Sleep wasn’t peaceful for her anymore since then. Sometimes she would wake up in a cold sweat, dreaming about Erik leaving her, Charles dying instead of just being paralyzed, and everyone’s lives in chaos. Some dreams she had were recurring, and other were just new anxiety filled piles of mess. When she told Charles and the others that she needed to leave to be at peace, everyone protested. Besides Hank and Charles, she was the glue that kept everyone together and calm, but Lydia knew she had to do this for herself. She needed tranquility and peace of mind and she knew she couldn’t find that at the mansion.

Everything was a reminder of what her and Erik had together. The room they shared before Cuba, Charles's legs, the kids' faces, and most of all Raven's absence. Lydia's mind started to race at the thought of her boyfriend with her. Every time she thought about the both of them together...her eyes would water every time. 

But now, her sleeps were peaceful. The meditation the monks taught her melted her troubles away and elevated her powers. Her dreams were normal and she was happy, for the first time in a long time. Sometimes she was sad that that had happened to her. 

Lydia was dreaming of sitting in a meadow, a soft breeze blowing around her. The sky was a sweet cotton candy blue and the clouds were just drifting by. Lydia hummed happily as she felt the warm rays of the sun touch her brown skin, making it golden, and warm up the afro puff she had on her head.

It seemed like the perfect day really. But, then gray clouds started to come toward her. Lydia didn't notice the clouds until thunder cracked above her, her smile disappeared from her face. 

Lydia covered her arms as strong winds crossed the meadow plains. Soon, the fields of grass became damp. Then, the meadow became wet as water had risen to Lydia's waist, the water became rough, rocking her this way and that. 

Lydia started screaming once the water reached her neck. Once the water went over her head, it was quiet. Eerily quiet. 

The only thing she could hear was a sound in the distance. A very familiar sound. 

It was the sound of the monks' crisis gong, a gong they said that had ever rarely been used.

But Lydia knew it was real.  
____________________

Lydia's eyes were wide open, her pillow wet from her sweat. There were people rushing around her and the sound of the gong was louder now. 

The monk she had been appointed to was shaking her furiously, telling her to get up in his language. Lydia got up and followed him. 

Lydia thanked her lucky stars that Charles had so many obscure books in his library, there was bound to be some on monks, their language, and meditation. It took Lydia a year to at least master most of the language in a year, isolating herself from the others. The aura wielder only came out to eat and to go to the bathroom.

The last two years at the mansion weren't fun. 

When she and her guide were out of their dwelling, they walked at a brisk pace. Lydia looked around them, all the monks that inhabited the temple were walking around and talking to each other peacefully, trying to understand what and where was the danger. 

Lydia could sense it though. With her mutation and her new heightened abilities, she could sense the impending danger, and it made her blood ice cold. 

Lydia didn't even say anything to the others as she started walking away from the crowd. She could feel the negative energy surging through the ground. 

That's when the bullets started to fire, and that's when Lydia's feet picked up and started to run. One by one the monks started to fall, their peaceful demeanor down and they were running to safety. The aura wielder looked behind her to see men in heavy duty armor with guns. She had heard the rumors, but she never thought that she would see it in the flesh. 

Someone was actually using a private army to hunt down mutants. 

And they were coming after her. 

Shit, she thought. Her head turned around to see the men starting to shoot the monks, one by one monks started to fall, leaving them open to her. The monks don't deserve this, she thought. All they did was try to help me and look where it's got them. Their death. 

The moonlight lit a way for her to escape, but it also led the men to her. She could feel the bullets pass her, her blood pressure rising from her impending death. Tears started to fall from her eyes as bullets came closer to her. 

Lydia almost got to the forest, but a bullet grazed her right side. Lydia yelled out in pain as she stumbled to keep running. As long as she wasn’t dead, she wouldn’t stop running. She generated a force field, but not without another bullet hitting her left side. Lydia finally rolled on the ground, the rubber band in her hair snapped, releasing the rest of her hair. 

The force field surrounded her in a cobalt blue color. The soldiers came to her and started pounding on it. 

All around her they were pounding and shouting, calling her names trying to provoke her. 

"Come out, you mutant bitch," one said behind her. 

"Yeah, they'll use you all they want," the one in front of her said. 

Lydia's fear got to such a point that her hands started to illuminate a bright white light inside her force field. Soon a powerful repulse escaped from her and evaporated the surrounding soldiers.

After she opened her eyes she saw the monks were still milling about, getting each other to safety and whatnot. However, Lydia was shaking. The fear paralyzed her. When she started to crawl on the floor, Lydia noticed a piece of fabric from one of the soldiers' clothing that had stayed despite the massive surge of energy her repulse blast gave off. She picked it up and looked up the name. 

The mutants she had met had been right all along about the man who was searching for them. 

Trask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked this chapter was hard, but it was fun to write! XD


	7. Another Awkward Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik, Lydia, and the gang try to stop Mystique.

The next morning, Lydia woke up, surprisingly to her, in Erik's arms. She smiled softly as she took in his sleeping features again for the first time in a long time. His strong jawline, softer as he slept. His eyebrows leveled, not scrunched in concentration, like they usually were. 

Erik looked younger when he was asleep. Lydia wondered what their relationship would be like if they had known each other years before '62.

The aura-wielder gave the metal-bender a quick peck on the lips, to which Erik sleepily chuckled and gave her a searing kiss. Lydia couldn't help herself but to respond to his actions. She hadn't kissed those lips in 11 years, and she missed them terribly. And the same went for Erik. 

When the couple released, they gave each other another couple of pecks before Erik even opened his eyes. 

Erik opened his mouth about to form a sentence, but a groan came from behind them. 

"Please, you two, if you can't get a room don't do that around people. Your love is so cute it's sickening sometimes." Charles had been up for an hour before they got up. His and Erik's night ended in the German actually winning the game.  
"Don't be jealous of me having someone when you have no one, Charles." Erik said as growled lowly and grabbed Lydia's ass. His actions resulted in a squeak from Lydia, and a swat as she tried to get Erik's hand away from her rear. 

Lydia got up from her warm place beside Erik. "None of that right now. We have an important mission today and we need to focus." She stretched and she could feel Erik staring at her body. 

Lydia put her hair up in a puffy bun and went to the cockpit. "Are we almost there, Hank?"

He nodded. "Yes, ten more minutes till descent. So do your business and then get in your seats and buckle up." 

Everyone took turns going to the bathroom, and then buckled up in the seats.

Lydia sat in her seat and watched as Hank took the plane down. All she could think about was how Mystique would react to her, and how she would act to Mystique.

__________

The car ride to the office was tense. No one knew what would happen, how Mystique would act when she saw all of them again. Especially Charles, Lydia, and Erik.

Out of nervousness, Lydia grabbed Erik's hand and squeezed it hard. 

Erik rubbed his thumb across her soft hand, and whispered to her. "Darling, it'll all be alright. If want Logan says is true, if we take Mystique down before they do, our future will be saved." His lips ran across her cheek before he gently kissed them. 

Lydia turned to him with widened eyes. "Please, tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking, Erik."

A snarky little smirk hung from his lips. "Lydia, if Logan or Charles can't handle her, I most definitely can and will." Erik placed a kiss on Lydia's neck. "Please don't worry."

All Lydia did was huff in disagreement. However, all she did was squeeze her lover's hand while squeezing a Tiger's eye stone in her left hand. 

__________

If the clamor from the main office wasn't an indicator of what they would witness, then when the group actually got in the office it was chaos. 

Mystique had just been shocked with a taser, flopping about like a fish on the oblong table while everyone was shuffling and running about. 

"Raven! Raven!" Charles continued to shout. He went by her side to look at her carefully. Charles wanted to see how Raven looked after Erik had his hands on her. 

"Charles?" Mystique questioned, surprised to see a man she used to claim as her brother by her side again. She thought he'd never see him again. 

"It's okay, Raven. Don't worry." His tone dripped with sadness. Charles couldn't believe that all of this was because of her. 

Mystique was about to ask him why he was there when he saw Erik with Lydia. Her eyebrows furrowed in pent up frustration and anger toward the woman. Lydia and Mystique locked eyes and the blue woman couldn't take it. 

"You." The word was dripping with hatred. Lydia froze in her tracks. Yes, she was by Erik's side but, god, she felt so alone with Raven's searing glare on her. 

At least Lydia knew the way Raven felt about her. 

Complete distaste. 

"Do you have any idea of how you left Erik?!" Mystique's body was motionless, but her facial expressions made up for it all. The red-haired and blue skinned beauty's eyes were filled with fiery red hot anger. 

If Mystique could move, she would definitely punch Lydia's pretty face in. 

"You left him hurt, depressed, and lonely." Her body began to gain feeling again. "Thankfully, he had me to lean on." Mystique said with a triumphant smile. 

"But, he couldn't stand that you were away from him. For awhile, everything reminded him of you. Footsteps, doors opening and closing, or a laugh. Anything."

"You are such an idiot for leaving a man like Erik." His name was punctuated with of a flip of her body and a gentle shove of Charles. 

"But, all the while, it's nice to see ya, Lydia." Mystique leaped off the table, only to be blocked by an orange force field. 

"Raven, I don't want to hurt you. We were best friends! Don't you remember that?" Lydia's pleading voice was a bit warbled because of the barrier. 

"You chose the wrong side." Mystique hit the barrier again. "Fight me, Lydia. I know you want to."

Lydia let the barrier come down and immediately block the girl's blows. 

"Fuck, Lydia! Fight me! Throw a punch! Do something so I won't have to feel bad." Her eyes were started to sting with tears. Mystique did remember that they were best friends, inseparable, even, but she couldn't get the images of Erik alone in his room, where no one could see him let go of his emotions, sob about Lydia and call out her name at night. Erik didn't mention it during missions at that time, but Mystique knew. Inside, Erik was a broken man because the one he loved left him. And seeing the two together pissed her off because if she couldn't have Erik, no one could.

As Mystique eyes began to well up, Lydia drop kicked her and pinned the girl to the ground. "No," was a all Lydia said. But Mystique wasn't paying attention to her anymore, she was looking at Erik with a gun focused on her. 

Her voice started to tremble. "Erik, what are you doing?"

"Securing our future." His face was stone cold. It hurt him to kill Mystique, but if it meant saving mutants, then she must die. 

Lydia slowly got down to Raven's ear and quickly whispered, "Run."

Mystique got up from Lydia's grasp and nearly sprinted out the window, but before she left she could hear Erik shout, "Do not ever talk to the woman I love like that, Mystique. You will be sorry."

Lydia ran to the window and looked down to see Raven limping away, the crowd letting her through to gawk and stare at her. 

As Lydia began to turn back to tell Erik, she felt the breeze of him zoom past her. He went down to Mystique and began to pull the bullet from her leg. 

She jumped after him wanting to stop this madness. Erik didn't have to kill her for the future to be saved. However, as soon as Lydia levitated to the ground, Hank went past her, blue hair and all, racing to Erik to stall him from killing Raven. 

When Mystique got away, Lydia saw Hank push Erik down into the fountain. She started to run after them.

"Hank, please! Stop!" She put her hand up and and a pink force field came between them. Hank and Erik looked at Lydia, all the while Erik only smirked at her and made the fountain pillars entangle Hank. With one last glance, Erik left Hank and Lydia by the fountain.

Once she got Hank out of his restraints, he ran after Erik. All Lydia did was just stare in that direction as they got smaller and tears started to well up in her eyes. Involuntarily, her hand shot up to cover her mouth from her whimpers as she looked around her. All eyes were on her as she broke down before their eyes. Lydia levitated herself over the crowd and went back into the office.

When Charles and Logan looked at her, all she could say was, "He's gone. Erik's left again.” Her lips and voice trembling, she couldn’t take it. Erik had done it to her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever XD


	8. Back to Square One [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Erik gone, the gang has gone back to the mansion to regroup, while Erik thinks of the days after he left Cuba without Lydia.

"And we'll end this news report tonight with these questions: who are these superpowered beings? Where do they come and from? What do they want? And most importantly, are they friend or foe?"

That's what the group watched on the news as they left France on the plane. They all sat back in their usual spots. Lydia on the couch, Charles in the chair, Logan in the back, and Hank in the cockpit. 

It was silent in the aircraft. No one made a sound. A peep. Nothing. Charles had his fingers on his temple, a very strong headache was coming on, and part of it was because of the absence of Erik. 

“We never should have broke him out. This was a stupid idea and a stupid plan. We should’ve done this ourselves. Erik created a sour spot for all of us, especially Lydia. I mean, look at her." His usual sad expression looked towards his aforementioned friend, who was just staring at the floor, tears welled up in her eyes, but not coming out. 

Lydia couldn't believe he would do that to her for the second time. She thought that he would be with her longer, hopefully forever, but somewhere deep inside she knew those were just foolish dreams. He could never be with her because they looked at humanity differently. Maybe they could never be together ever again. 

Lydia closed her eyes and tears slowly fell onto her brown cheeks. She shook her head as she began to speak. "No. We don't need to stop, we need to keep going. Let's go back to the mansion and try to look for Raven. If she's the key to changing our future, we can't let her go." Lydia wiped the tears off her face. 

Logan smiled at her, nodding his head in approval. "I like her, Charles. I like the way she thinks. I don't see why she's not in my time. I hope you're not dead there, Lydia." 

Lydia just scoffed. "I probably am, for some reason. Erik and I couldn't be together or something. I went off on my own, and I must've died trying to help or save someone. I don't know. I could see myself making that sacrifice." 

Logan huffed. "I'll make sure that won't happen. Maybe Erik won't be an asshole with you at his side."

Lydia wiped her eyes and smiled at him. "Thank you, Logan. I-" She was interrupted by a sharp groan from Charles. He had slid on the floor and was clutching his head tightly. 

"Charles, what's wrong?!" She went by his side, checking for anything wrong with him. Lydia placed a hand on his head, and began to feel his emotions. 

Lydia looked up towards the cockpit Hank. "Hank! We need to get this plane moving faster, Charles is losing the feeling in his legs. He's in terrible pain."

"Got it!" Hank put the plane at a higher speed, but Lydia knew it wasn't enough. She enveloped herself and Charles in a sea green bubble. Charles's cries subsided somewhat due to the bubble's healing properties. A scent of seawater and mint went through the air. Logan took a big whiff of the smell, the minty scent filling his lungs. He went closer to Lydia and realized it was her. 

"Lydia, is that smell coming from you?"

The aura-wielder smiled shyly at the gruff man. "Yeah, I can kinda make my aura smell. I can't control it quite yet, really. Sometimes whatever color I emit, a certain odor comes out to go with it. Sometimes it smells really good and other times it smells...really, really bad." Her voice echoed with her in the bubble. 

Logan chuckled. "That's amazing."

"Thanks, but we should be worrying about Charles. My powers don't last that long. Hopefully, we'll be at the halfway mark when I can't do it anymore." Lydia responded, never taking her eyes of the friend in her arms. 

"Hang in there, Charles," Lydia whispered. "Just a little while longer." Charles broke out into a sweat and was mumbling to himself. Lydia couldn't make out the words, but as long as he was breathing and wasn't screaming, she knew he'd be okay. 

However, now she knew this was going to be a very long plane ride. 

________________

Erik watched the screen intently as he clicked through the slides of Trask's experiments. He was also using his powers to sew the wound in the back of his head. With each slide, Erik felt tears start to well up in his eyes. He didn't want to leave Lydia, but Mystique was of a more important matter. He felt awful about breaking a promise to the woman he loved, but finding Mystique was his number one goal at this point.

Hopefully along the way, he and Lydia will meet again and this time, she’ll be by his side forever in this battle for mutantkind. Erik wiped the tears streaming down his face with a frustrated groan. Lydia would never want him back after he abandoning her side for the second time. 

As Erik kept thinking about Lydia and her saddened face, he grew into a silent rage, with everything around him bounced off of him. His body started to tremble as the sobs started to escape from his mouth. A strong roar erupted from his mouth, then it turned to a hurt cry. I cry for the one he loved, and a cry for a life that could've had long ago. 

This rush of feelings felt like another night he had long ago. It was a month after he and Lydia separated from the shores of Cuba. The moon was was shrouded in dark clouds. He turned around from the bed he was in, looking up at the moon, and it made Erik think of Lydia. Every time they made love, she would glow a silver light. That's when he lost it. 

Just like then, now Erik was on the floor hunched over, arms wrapped around himself. He was sobbing, each cry body shattering than the last. His stoic facade breaking into pieces in his isolation from everything. 

When Lydia was involved, Erik always showed his true feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Since I'm done with my summer course, I can write more! Expect more rapid fire from me and more updates.


	9. Back to Square One [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything goes wrong in France and Lydia, Charles, and the group has to collect their bearings.

Lydia, Logan, Hank, and Charles bolted through the door of the mansion and sat Charles down on the ground.

"It's gonna be okay, Charles." Logan reassured him, but all the ex-telepath did was shake his head.

"I know you don't believe that." His crystal blue eyes were unnerving to Logan. The gruff man just looked at him.

"How do you know that?" He asked. With a shaky hand, Charles motioned to his feet and to his head. "Once these start to go, this comes back." He turned to Hank. "Get my wheelchair for me, please, Hank. And thank you, Lydia for your help. I don't think I would've made it without you."

Lydia chuckled. "You always we're a bit more calm with me around." Hank came back with Charles' wheelchair. As Logan helped him get in his chair, Logan could see the sadness in his eyes. It was subtle and it was gone in an instance, but he saw it. Hank saw it too. He always did when the kids were around. Charles couldn't escape the memories brought on because of that wheelchair. Erik. Moira. Everything.

The four walked and wheeled on to the lowest part of the mansion, where Cerbero was. Lydia's mouth curled into a nostalgic smile from the memories that were there. How her, Erik, and Charles went out and found the mutants of First Class. Sean, Alex, Angel, and Darwin. Oh, Darwin. It wasn't fair he didn't live to see everything evolve and devolve so quickly.

As Charles scanned his eye and the metal doors opened, Logan looked around at the massive hall that was Cerebro. The regal and mystery of the machine was dead and gone, replaced with dread and despair. Logan grumbled from their steps echoing on the platform. It was all kind of unnerving.

When Charles stopped at the controls, he took a shuddering breath and didn't move.

"Take your time, Charles." Lydia encouraged nervously. "Not too much time thought. We do have the future to save an all."

Charles picked up the helmet and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to make the old machine work again. Lydia squeezed his shoulder as a sign of encouragement, but to no avail. Charles screamed in frustration as the dials went awry and exploded.

"I can't do it. I've lost it." He groaned. Logan looked at him, knowing that's not the truth.

"Yes, you can, Charles." He paused, thinking about what to say next. "No! No, I can't!" Charles screamed. "Yes, I can turn the knobs and the dials, but it all comes from up here!" He poked his skull hard.

Logan crotched down and looked Charles directly in his eyes and simply said, "Go into my mind." Charles put his fingers on Logan's head. His face soon scrunched and he started shaking his head viciously.

:"You poor, poor man! All your pain and suffering!"

Logan stayed calm. "Look past my pain! Look into your future. Look to who you become."

Lydia scratched her arm while she awkwardly stood away from the pair with Hank.

"If it's any consolation, Lydia," Hank whispered reassuringly, "You could do a lot better than Erik." He reached his arm around her waist, but Lydia only curtly replied, "You may think that, but he's the man I love, Hank. He was the first love I've had in a long time on this journey of learning more about my powers and I am not giving that up." As she finished her sentence, Charles had a revelation. Lydia walked away from Hank's grasp and walked back towards the door. Hank ran in the direction towards Charles.

They had a conversation and Lydia could make out Charles saying something about Raven and the President. Of course Raven would do some idiotic shit like that.

As Lydia walked out the round silver door, she couldn't wait for all of this to be over.

Maybe after it was over, she'd disappear again for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this fic in so long. Fuck school sometimes, I swear.


	10. A Heated Aftermath [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang see Erik for the last time and it's not pretty.

Lydia had the best dream she'd had a long time. Her subconscious went back to a time and place when her and Erik were still together, inseparable even. It was before they had met Charles and Raven, and even before they had formed the team.

It was when they were still going after Shaw together on their own. Earlier that day, Erik had stabbed a man in the hand for being a part of the Holocaust, his anger taking over and controlling him. When Lydia had gotten there she found Erik staring at the man as he cried out in pain. Erik turned around at the sound of her footsteps, and her heart dropped. His eyes were red, his neck was splattered in veins and his lips were pulled back in a snarl. Lydia took his hand and they ran away, hoping no one would come after them.

That night they lied together in a hammock, the soft swinging lulling both of them to sleep. As Lydia began to feel the force of sleep pull her in, her glow spread to Erik, making him chuckle. Her control of her abilities was still in its infancy, but the feeling of her powers made him feel warm and peaceful.

Before Lydia's consciousness was whisked away, she heard Erik utter words under his breath.

Du bist mein Leben.

Lydia didn't know what the words meant, but she assumed they only meant something with affection.

\----

Lydia woke up with the warm feeling gone, a severe headache replacing the butterflies in her stomach. The scenery of the land below passing them by on their way to the final showdown.

A single tear went down her cheek as she just thought where the hell did everything go wrong.

At last she noticed that Logan and Charles were speaking in hushed tones. She wanted to ask what about she decided not to, not caring about what happened today. All she wanted was to just get this over with and rest.

After 3 years of being gone, she gets rushed into this mess and she can't take it. Lydia couldn't take the fact that Erik left her again. As she looked at Charles, she didn't know how she could possibly tell him that she was leaving again. Or Hank. Lydia didn't know how she would tell the two men most important in her life (besides Erik) that after all this, she'd run away again because it was too much for her.

She'd think of something, but it wouldn't be easy.

For the time being, she'd just make tiny rainbow aura balls acting like there weren't feelings storming around inside at all.

____

The atmosphere around the presidential affair was filled with electrifying excitement to see the Commander in chief in person, but it was different for Lydia.

For her, it felt like there was sense of danger everywhere, from every corner. When they got off the plane, the aura wielder took her shoes off. Hank had looked at her strange as she did it.

"Um, Lydia, may I ask why you took your shoes off?"

Without looking at him, she answered sternly. "It allows me to be more attune to my surroundings. My aura becomes more attentive and I can feel when danger comes, and I'm feeling quite a bit of it."

"It's got to be Raven, right? That is who we're here for."

"No, it's not her. What I'm feeling isn't something we're expecting. It's coming from an unknown source." Lydia could feel her natural energy coursing through her. It was like her danger level was at an all time high, and she felt like Erik was the cause of it.

Once they got past the metal detector, Lydia bent down and whispered into Charles' ear.

"If I'm not behind you, I'm surveying the area. I can feel something, and it doesn't feel right."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "Like?"

"Erik," Lydia simply said. Charles' eyes grew wide, but Logan put a hand on the Professor's shoulder.

"Just concentrate and find Mystique, Professor. We don't have a lot of time." His gruff voice full of reassurance.

While Charles tried to find Raven, Lydia looked to the skies to find her lover. The vibrations from the Earth went through her stronger, a slight ringing sound became audible. If it were night, Lydia would glow, and she would be glowing the color of red, love for Erik. But, right now, it was slight irritation.

Lydia rested her hands on Hank and Logan's shoulders. "I'll be back. Don't mind what I'm doing, just get Raven." Lydia tried to look inconspicuous as she maneuvered through the crowd.

'Erik, you cannot screw up the one time that it really matters', Lydia thought, trying to find an open place where no one could see her rise to the skies. She shielded herself as she began to levitate off the ground and saw a big blur in the distance. Once Lydia squinted and saw what it truly was, she was actually surprised.

It was Erik. Erik with a baseball stadium trailing behind him.


	11. A Heated Aftermath [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the battle with Erik, Lydia has to tell Charles and Hank that she has to go.

The park was filled with debris and the air was calm. Erik had just left and Logan was gone. Lydia's breathed deeply as she helped Hank get Charles out of the mess that Erik had left.

"Do you think we'll see the rest of Erik?" Hank asked, his blue form dissipating.

"I don't think so," Charles grunted. "We probably won't see Erik for quite a while."

"But we'll always be there when he tried to cause trouble for the humans again..." Lydia softly said to nobody in particular. Her mind was in the clouds that she continued to look at, hoping that Erik would come back for her, and apologize for what he'd done. But, Erik wasn't that kind of man at all. Any decision he made, he would follow it through and through. The brown skinned aura wielder heaved a heavy sigh.

The only time that her and Erik would cross paths would just be in combat, sharing sad eyes towards one another.

"Lydia, you okay?" Hank asked, gently. The woman's physical body was all tattered up from that battle. Her clothes were ripped from Erik throwing her toward the trees, her face swelled up from a roundhouse kick from Mystique, and one of her stones were missing. Lydia didn't worry about that, however. Her stones always come back to her.

Hank wasn't worried about her physically. The brainiac was worried about Lydia emotionally. Lydia was one of his best friends, or one of his only friends if Hank was being honest with himself And he knew that her mind after all of this was not okay.

Lydia smiled sadly at him. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot to take in after such a long time of being gone...and I'm just thinking about E-"

"Erik?" Hank interrupted. "Yeah, I can tell. It's literally written all over your face."

"I honestly think that your beastly qualities aren't just the only things that your mutation can do there, Hank." Lydia smiled at him, wheeling Charles back to the car.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever."

Lydia looked down at Charles. "What are we going to do about Logan? Are we gonna go after him?"

"No, we're not."

Hank practically cracked his neck to look at the handicapped professor. "What? Are you serious? Why wouldn't we? He could tell us things that we want to know about ourselves in the future!"

Charles spoke slowly, in a sage like manner. "He'll find us when he needs us. Logan is the type of man to do things on his own."

"That's pretty wise for an egghead like you, Charles." Lydia laughed. All three of them laughed together, but soon Lydia's smile died down.

"Um, guys, I've got to tell you something when we get back to the mansion..."

\----

"What the fuck do you mean you're leaving?!" Lydia had just delivered the bad news about her departure and Charles and Hank were none too happy about it.

Hank was the first to speak, and then it was Charles.

"Lydia, darling, you can't leave. We need you."

Lydia played with her curly black hair and scoffed. "No, you don't. You guys have been perfectly fine on your own." She looked around the abandoned mansion.

"Even if it's empty as all hell in here."

"But you're out there. Are you perfectly fine on your own out there?" Hank asked.

Lydia's face scrunched up from her frustration. "I've been gone for how long, Hank? My ass is perfectly fine out there. Okay? I just need some time alone by myself again." She went upstairs and started to pack her things. It was a week after the big incident, but she needed a couple days to relax and think of what to say to them when the time was right.

Hank ran up to catch up to her. "This is because of Erik, isn't it? Just because he left you doesn't mean you have to leave us! You need to be here with us. Not out there, Lydia. Be with us, please." Hank reached out to touch a hand towards her but she recoiled.

"I didn't expect to be brought into this, Hank! None of this was on my agenda for when I visited you a week ago. I just wanted to come by, stay for a couple of days, and just leave. I still want to hone my powers for when the time comes when I really need them. You made me what to find out more, but it's also been hard..."

Lydia was silent for a second, then she spoke.

"You don't know what it's like to be in love, Hank. When you have to watch the one you love leave three goddamn times and you have to not act like it phases you." Lydia shook her head as she continued packing. "It's fucking horrible."

Hank remained silent.

"And don't say that you loved me because it was just a little crush. On both Raven and I." With that, Lydia went down the stairs. She hugged Charles tightly. It was the last time she'd be seeing him for a while.

"Bye, Charles," Lydia whispered. "Give Hank my regards." She kissed his cheek, the scruff scratching her lips. Lydia looked in Charles' crystal blue eyes. The sadness in them went right to Lydia's heart, but she couldn't let it get to her.

She needed to be far away from the mansion and her memories. She needed to have a fresh start.

As Lydia reached for the doorknob, she stopped and breathed. It would be hard for her to leave this place.

"Lydia, please be careful out there." Hank was at the head of the staircase. If he couldn't say one last goodbye to Lydia, he would at least say something.

Lydia didn't turn around, but all she said was, "Thanks, Hank. I'll miss both of you a lot. I'll be back, so don't miss me too much."

Neither Hank or Charles responded to anything Lydia said. They were too hurt to be by themselves once again. Having someone from the old days made Charles remember why he wanted to do this in the first place.

Before both of them knew it, Lydia was out the door, walking down the driveway to go wherever she needed and wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like we're at the end of the line! :) It's been a wonderful ride, folks. I'm very happy by the reception that Magnetism got. I really didn't expect for it to, but I'm so so glad that all of you loved Lydia and Erik together. This story wasn't supposed to be written yet because I had an even greater idea to start their relationship from First Class, but that could be a prequel now, if you will. Anyways, I love you guys, and thank you so much for reading. Tell me what you thought about the story in the comment section and tell me what other stuff you'd like to see me do! I can take requests if I'm not busy. Also, I'm sorry this chapter skipped the battle, but my writer's block wouldn't let me write it and I didn't want to watch the movie :P Sorry, that this chapter was lackluster or not action filled. I wanted it to be more emotional.
> 
> It's been enjoyable entertaining you all and you can expect a lot more stuff from me in the future :))

**Author's Note:**

> There'll be more where this comes from c:


End file.
